The Riot tells the story of the struggle against oppression in the mining town of Sulitjelma, called Sulis, at the beginning of the 20th century. Konrad and the suppressed workers stand together in the revolt against the mining company and its ruthless leader Wennstrøm. The film deals with actual incidents at Norway's second largest workplace, where the mining company had all the power and where the workers struggled under inhuman conditions in the dangerous and dark mines. This was the Wild West of the Nordic countries. Oppression, slave labor and the brutality of capitalism ended with a revolt that created the Nordic model and the modern society we see today in Scandinavia.

"The Riot is a miniature of how greed, the exploitation of humans and nature lead society in the wrong direction. We want to make a film that shows that people can achieve great things when they stand together ", says director Nils Gaup.

There are currently 3.7 million people working in mines worldwide today and at least 12 000 workers die every year in mining accidents. The fight for justice, security, better working conditions and cooperation between employers and employees is just as relevant today - and is exactly what The Riot is about.

The stellar cast include both well-established and debuting actors. The young lead role is played by the Swedish rising star Otto Fahlgren, and his antagonist is played by the acclaimed actor Simon J. Berger. The woman who stands on the barricades and fights for justice is portrayed by Alexandra Gjerpen. Mads Sjøgård Pettersen and Stig Henrik Hoff are other well-known names in the cast, in addition to musical star Heidi Ruud Ellingsen who makes her feature film debut.

"The Riot is an important story to tell. It is a fantastic historical material that is highlighted and revealed in the film. I'm very glad I can be part of this project, which will be a classic hero story. ", says actor Simon J. Berger.

The Riot is the biggest production by a northern Norwegian production company ever. Principal shooting started this week at FilmCamp in Målselv and will later relocate to Sulitjelma outside of Fauske, both located in the northern part of Norway.

"After many years of planning we are finally in the process of filming the story of Sulitjelma. We have included a truly Nordic star team in this project. The tragic events of what happened in Sulitjelma is well known to us who grew up nearby and now we can finally tell this story to a national and international audience ", says producer Tom Vidar Karlsen from Storyline NOR.

The Riot is produced by Storyline NOR, producers Tom Vidar Karlsen and Trond Eliassen in collaboration with Götafilm, Handmade films in Norwegian woods, Studio Locomotive, FIlmCamp, Filmfond Nord, Film i Väst and Filminvest and with the support from the Swedish Film Institute.

The Riot is expected to be released in cinemas in Norway in 2023 followed by an international release. SF Studios handles Nordic distribution and REinvent handles international sales.

Historical background
Far up in the Arctic mountains lay the place that was popularly called "Lapland's Hell". The copper mines in Sulitjelma were established in 1891 by the Swedish industrial magnate Nils Persson. In record time, the company grew to become Norway's second largest industrial workplace around the year 1900.

For more information, please contact: 
Yaba Holst, Head of Nordic Acquisition, SF Studios, yaba.holst@sfstudios.se, +46 73 411 95 35
Malin Strihagen, Vice President Brand & Communications, SF Studios, malin.strihagen@sfstudios.se, +46 70 780 39 35
Helene Aurø, Sales & Marketing Director, Reinvent International Sales, helene.auro@reinvent.dk, +45 23 42 00 07

About SF Studios
SF Studios, established in 1919, is one of the world’s oldest film companies. Today SF Studios is the leading film studio in the Nordic region with its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden and offices in Oslo, Copenhagen, Helsinki and London. The company is producing and distributing feature films and TV series as well as providing the streaming service SF Anytime. Alongside its own production operations including Paradox, SF Studios owns the production companies FLX, Filmkameratene and Motion Blur, and is part of the leading Nordic media company Bonnier.

About REinvent Studios
REinvent Studios is a packaging, sales and financing studio all in one. REinvent Studios has extensive knowledge of original trends and sales opportunities in both the Scandinavian and international markets and works with high profile European production companies.